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I. H. WILS EY.

WATER FLOW REGULATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAIL-11.1916.

Patented Sept. 23, 1919.

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IRVEN' H. WILSEY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO A. SORGE, JR, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

WATER-FLOW REGULATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 23, 1919.

Application filed March 31, 1916. Serial No. 88,115.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IRVEN H. WILSEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Water-Flow Regulators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus adapted to control the flow of water into or out of tanks, boilers, or the like with reference to the elevation of the water level in the tank or boiler.

One of the objects of my invention is to produce a regulator for the purpose specified that is simple and dependable and has the various parts thereof exposed so that they may be inspected conveniently at any time. A further object is to provide an apparatus which may be used to regulate the flow of water or other liquids either into or out of the tank as may be desired. A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus by means of which the level of the liquid in the tank may be maintained constant or may be varied in elevation with reference to the inflow or outflow of the liquid as may be desired; and a further object is to provide in connection with the apparatus suitable means for recording the elevation of the liquid level in the tank.

Although the apparatus which I have provided in carrying out my invention may be applied to any form of vessel containing liquid, yet in this particular instance, to illustrate the invention, I prefer to apply the apparatus to the control of the feed-water to boilers. In general the apparatus comprises a closed vessel of suitable shape, mounted upon suitable yielding supports, substantially in the same horizontal plane as the average water level 'in the boiler, and arranged so that the water in the boiler passes freely into the vessel and maintains a level therein at substantially the same elevation as the water in the boiler. As the water in the boiler rises or falls, the weight of the water in the vessel will vary accordingly, and the vessel, being resiliently supported, will rise or sink, and being suitably connected with the feed-water valve, the movement of the vessel will control the valve opening, and hence, the feed-Water flow.

Figure 1 of the drawings is an illustration of an apparatus which embodies the features of my invention; Fig. 2 is a detail view of certain features of the apparatus; and Fig. 3 is a modification of a certain portion of the apparatus.

The regulating apparatus may be attached to the boiler I in any suitable manner and place. I prefer to attach it to the water column 5 of the boiler. This column, by means ofthe pipes 6 and 7, is connected in an ordinary manner to the boiler 4 above and below the maximum and minimum water levels therein. Suitable pipe fittings 8 and 9 respectively connect the tubes 10 and 11 with the water column, and the outer ends 12 and 13 of the tubes 10 and 11 are c0nneeted to the upper and lower portions of the regulating vessel or tank 14, which comprises in this instance the main chamber 15 and the minor chamber 16. A settling tank 17 may be inserted in the connections between the tube 11 and the water column.

The connections and arrangements of the various parts of the apparatus specified are such that the water from the boiler is free to pass into the lower portion of the vessel 14 and the steam from the boiler is free to pass into the upper portion thereof; so that the water-level in the vessel is at all times in substantially the same horizontal plane as the water level in the boiler.

The tubes 10 and 11 may be made of any suitable material and shape. I prefer tubes made of tempered steel and cylindrical in shape, as indicated, so that as the vessel fills with water, it will be forced downwardly by the increased weight of the water; and as the water passes out of the vessel the resilient tubes 10 and 11 will elevate the tank.

Connected to the vessel in any suitable manner is an adjustable connecting rod 18, which is pivoted to a member 19, adjustably mounted on a lever 20, pivoted to an adj ustable support 21, which in turn is pivoted to a lug 22 fixed in any suitable manner to the casing 23 of the feed-water control valve 24. The stem 25 of the valve is adjustably connected to the lever 20. It will be seen by a consideration of this apparatus that as the water level 111 the vessel rises, the vessel will be forced downwardly and the connect ing means will cause the valve opening to be reduced so as to diminish the flow of water into the boiler. On the other hand, as the water sinks in the vessel 14, the vessel will be forced upwardly by the spring tubes and the valve .24: will be opened more and-the inflow will be increased.

It is evident that the rate of the valve movement with reference to the movement of the vessel may be varied as desired by adjusting the member 19 on the lever 20, so that a very slight movement of the vessel may produce a very material movement of the valve, thus, holding the water in the boiler at substantially a constant level; or the valve movement may be made so as to cause a very m'aterial variation in the water level in the boiler. It is also evident that the movement of the vessel itselfjwith reference to the weight of the water therein will depend upon the length and the strength of the spring. tubes 10 and 11, and that, therefore, the magnitude of these tubes will also affect the rateof opening of the valve.

In order to further control'the movement of the valve with reference to the water level, the shape of the vessel It may be varied as desired. I have, inthis instance, preferred a conical shape for chamber 15. As the water rises 'in this chamber, it is evident that the rate of the rise will be greater than the rate of increase in weight. As a consequence, the'rate of descent of the vessel with reference to the rate of rise of the water level will decrease as the water level elevation increases, so that the valve will be closed more slowly as the water rises. This result will be assisted by the increased compression of the spring 11 and extension of spring 10 as the vessel moves downwardly.

In order to insure a sufiicient closing of the valve to prevent flooding of the boiler, I provide a chamber 16, as part of the vessel so that when the water level is at substantially the maximum safety elevation, a slight increase in elevation will very materially increase the weight of the water in the vessel and hence the downward movement thereof and the closing of the valve.

However, itis sometimes desired to prevent complete closing of the valve, and for this purpose, I provide the adjustable screw 26, which, if screwed inwardly to the point desired, will limit the closing of the valve to a definite minimum.

In connection with the regulating apparatus, I provide recording means, which comprises any suitable recorder 30 mounted. on bracket 31, supported by the frame 32. An arm 33, fixed to; the vessel 14,- is con nected, by means of an adjustable link 34 suitably connected to the slidable members 35 and 36, to one arm of the lever 37, pivoted at 38; the other arm of the lever is adapted to carry any suitable recording means. As the water level rises and falls in the boiler, causing corresponding variations in the water level of the vessel and corresponding movements of the vessel, the movements thereof will be recorded on the chart 39 by means of the connecting members specified. It is understood that the charts used may be suitably calibrated to correct for any variationsbetween the movement of the vessel and the water level due to the shape of the vessel or other factors.

In order to give suitable notice to the operator in charge of dangerously high or low water in the boiler, I connect to the regulating apparatus an alarm l0, the operation of which is fully set forth in my copending application #81519 filed March 2nd, 1916.

The frame 32 is adjustable, the connecting bolts 11 passing through slots 12 in the frame-Work, so that when installed the length of the frame may be adjusted as desired. 7

hen it is desired to use the apparatus for controlling the outflow of liquid from a tank, it is necessary to reverse the means operatively connecting the vessel with the valve, the connections then being made as indicated in Fig. 3. Then so arranged,-as the liquid flows outwardly from the tank the vessel 14: will become lighter, will be elevated, and the valve 2 1 will be closed 100 somewhat, until the How is reduced-to the desired amount.

A ,weight 15 may be adjustably mounted on the lever 20, soas to help support or fully support the vessel 1 1 and, at the same time, to take up the loose play of the various parts.

Although I have described with some particularity the various details of the appa: ratus, which I prefer incarrying out my invention, yet it is to be understood that various changes therein may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention, as disclosed by the following claim. To illustrate, the rate of the openingofthe valve with reference to the water level may be varied in any'desired amount by suitably varying the shape of the walls of the vessel, and thus the rate of change of the weight of the gradually from the lower end to the upper said resilient means comprising tubes operaend, the length of said vessel being subtively connecting the ends of said vessel restantially equal to the safety limits of the spectively With the steam space and the 10 range in Water-level elevation in said boiler; water space of said boiler.

resilient means supporting said vessel, In testimony whereof I hereunto set my means operatively connecting said vessel hand. with the feed-Water valve of said boiler, IRVEN H. WILSEY.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. 0. 

